


Commander

by EdwardNotSoLittle



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Crozier is dad, Edward's promotion, Fluff, Gen, What-If, au where hickey and tozer were successfully hung, terror bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23233759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdwardNotSoLittle/pseuds/EdwardNotSoLittle
Summary: Captain Crozier sees both Jopson and Little in full dress at Little's promotion initiation.Terror Bingo: Free Space
Relationships: Captain Francis Crozier/Commander James Fitzjames, Thomas Jopson/Lt Edward Little
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16
Collections: The Terror Bingo (2019)





	Commander

Despite all that hell endured in King William Land, they had made it back to England.

After the hanging of Mr. Hickey and Sergeant Tozer, the men’s morale—despite having taken a blow of discomfort—had perked up. Lieutenant Hodgson came to him all misty eyes in the middle of the night, unable to sleep with a guilty conscience.

Of course at the time he and Bridgens were taking care of Captain Fitzjames, trying to seal up the wounds the man foolishly tried to play off as nothing. The poor man—too delirius to understand who he was talking to—just kept babbling on about the flora and fauna of the Singapore jungles.

Initially he had been surprised to hear that Hickey had been trying to get Lieutenant Hodgson in cohorts with him, and even more so the man’s admission that he had accepted the offer initially.

That was of course, before the brutal and macabre murder of Lieutenant John Irving.

He’d known for quite some time, even from the start of the expedition that both John Irving and George Henry Hodgson were childhood friends, the look in the poor man’s eyes had been as soul crushing as Lieutenant Little’s wails of grief over the loss late in the night. 

All those hard painstaking miles had taken a toll on all of them of course and only a couple handful of men survived. 

During the trek they lost many more as was expected, Thomas had succumbed to infection from his leg and that loss itself took a spark out of life out of him. 

Thomas Blanky, oh what a man he had been. If ever there was one to lift that melancholic cloud in the worst of times it was he. He was always good at making him laugh.

Lieutenant Jopson was almost lost when he, like James, had come down with advancing stages of scurvy. His delirious groans and sobs of pain were absolutely unbearable, and kept the camp up for several nights before one night they’d stopped. 

At first of course he’d thought the man had passed as he threw off the furs and blankets, tucking James back in and getting a small noise of protest as he left the sanctuary of their tent.

When he’d entered the tent he’d found Jopson with Lieutenant Little cuddled up to him, holding him in his arms with his bearded chin resting atop his head from where he’d tucked it against him, whispering soft reassurances as he stroked his hair soothingly.

Both Lieutenants Le Vesconte and Hodgson were sitting upright from where they were, watching with sad eyes with not a spec of judgement within them at the revelation of the two men’s relationship.

He himself had not been privy to the bond between his first lieutenant and newly appointed third lieutenant, and it had taken him by surprise, but he accepted it regardless, even now. 

Even those who survived though, it wasn’t without some sort of affliction or injury be it physical or in the mind.

Lieutenant Le Vesconte had begun to get increasingly violent and easily agitated during the last few miles before their rescue. Francis had to break up a horrific fight between his first lieutenant and Erebus’s last remaining one when he’d attacked the man in the middle of the watch.

He’d begun to gore and stab chains from a pocket watch into Edward’s face, weaving the cold sharp metal through the flesh as he’d pinned him down. The screams were horrific and easily woke the rest of the men from their slumber. 

Even when commanded to stop, Le Vesconte hadn’t ceased, he was growling a litany of jumbled French that neither Hodgson or even James had been able to understand. Finally he’d moved forward and slammed the handle of his pistol over the back of the man’s head and he’d gone down instantly.

The whole ordeal left Edward more scared than angry, unlike Francis, but it was through James’ reasoning and patience that he was able to spare the Frenchman. They were all exhausted after all, unhinged and aggravated. Henry wasn’t in the right state of mind, just like poor John Morfin, and he’d be damn fucked if he would watch another sailor get his brains blown out due to an illness of the mind. 

Of course Henry was fine now, healthy as a horse and always munching on something as he normally would be seen doing aboard Erebus. The scurvy was gone from him, as it was for the rest of them who returned. 

It was a relief, once they were rescued that they were in the company of doctors with provisions enough to be able to pull those chains out of Edward’s face. After that the tension seemed to lessen between Le Vesconte and Edward. 

How Edward could forgive him for such a horrifically traumatic experience he didn't know, but he envied his patience.

“Captain,” came the soft voice he could recognize anywhere at this point, cutting clean through his thoughts and back to the occasion at hand. 

As he turned to face the familiar presence that he’d been waiting on for the past hour or so, he couldn’t help prevent his feelings from betraying him if he tried as a toothy grin spread across his lips. 

Jopson and Little stood before him, both men decked out in full dress uniform, epaulets upon their shoulders and Little wearing his new frock coat and cocked hat, Jopson looking mildly uncomfortable standing in his own formal dress, stiff epaulets, and gold braid. 

Thomas was still running with high levels of uncertainty upon getting the letter of acceptance from the admiralty. Jopson was allowed to keep the promotion that he'd rightfully earned on the expedition, with the condition of course that he had to pass the exam required to obtain such a rank. 

At first Jopson had considered turning down but James was able to persuade him to take it. He had more than earned it. 

It was today that Edward was to meet with the admiralty to officiate his promotion to Commander. 

"Well, here they are." the warmth in his voice never faltering as he stepped forward to adjust Jopson's collar. 

"Sir," 

"Francis. Thomas, you needn't call me that anymore. I've retired." 

Jopson blushed faintly, "Sorry, si- Francis. Force of habit." 

Crozier chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he patted his former steward's shoulder. 

"You wear the colors well Lieutenant Jopson."

He shifted over to Edward looking the lad up and down. 

"Aye, now this is a man I can call a captain. Commander Little, you look like a prime example of a navy officer." 

Edward grinned, something that was still such a rarity to see, made even more so after the wounds on his face had healed into scars. 

"With all due respect, sir, you will always be our Captain." 

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know how promotions work so please don't sue me.


End file.
